Stink Bug – Chapter 8

T’r’bl swooped down from the trees and landed in the center of the cleared area before me. Flames fluttered in the wind kicked up by her flapping. I ducked to avoid getting dust in my eyes.

W’oo’woo trilled quietly. He was clearly excited.

T’r’bl opened her wings and held her arms up high. She screeched like a red-tailed hawk.

I shuddered and my hair prickled. Everyone was silent. The trees were still. T’r’bl remained standing tall, looking up into the dark canopy. It seemed a full minute had passed when the sound of T’r’bl’s screech returned to us from the distance. Several of the Vrr’ak’l trilled in awe. T’r’bl folded her wings and scanned the crowd. She opened her beak and spoke.

Her words were whistles and squeals and clicks – completely incomprehensible to me. But I knew she was talking because of the responses of the other Vrr’ak’l. I recognized a word and looked up. “English” she had said. “Human.” Then “Nate.” The others echoed my name. She stopped and looked at me.

“Forgive us please, Nate,” T’r’bl said. “I remind the flock to speak to you with your words and not our own. Some will forget. Please do not be offended.”

“It’s fine,” I said.

T’r’bl squinted and fluffed her feathers. The others did the same. “We are happy you are here,” whispered W’oo’woo.

“Thanks.” I looked back at T’r’bl. “Thank you, T- Trouble.” I sighed. “Hopefully my horrible pronunciations of your names won’t offend you.”

T’r’bl fluffed up even more, then bowed briefly. She clapped her hands and barked, then leapt back into the air, alighting on a soft platform on the other side of the cleared space. She settled in. “Please, enjoy our hospitality!” She barked again and W’oo’woo trilled.

K’eel and a buff-colored Vrr’ak’l hopped into the open. They bowed to T’r’bl then to the rest of the crowd. They turned to face each other. They bobbed their heads in synchrony. The intensity of the bobbing increased until they were squatting and hopping. They maintained their synchrony as they began to rotate, now rocking their bodies as well. They opened their wings one at a time in the direction opposite they leaned, reaching and nearly touching the other. Their tails were held high and their feathers spread. It was a spectacular dance. I couldn’t help but smile.

The other Vrr’ak’l squawked and trilled, getting louder as the dance grew in intensity. W’oo’woo was hopping next to me, in time to the movements of the dancers.

Abruptly both dancers flashed both wings open and hissed at each other. The crowd silenced. K’eel and the other stood poised at the verge of something, but what?

T’r’bl barked. The dancers leapt at each other.

I didn’t know if I was witnessing a dance or a full-blown flight. The dancers bit and clawed at each other. Feathers flew – literally! They fought in the air, flapping furiously while striking repeatedly with their talons. They fought on the ground, each trying to press the other to the ground with their wings, then punching with fists.

K’eel sent the buff Vrr’ak’l sprawling onto her belly. Before she could draw her legs back under her, K’eel leapt on her back and bit viciously into her neck. The buff Vrr’ak’l cried out, and continued to struggle. K’eel flapped her wings, keeping the other pressed down.

T’r’bl barked. K’eel released the buff Vrr’ak’l and stepped aside, bowing to T’r’bl. The buff rose and likewise bowed to T’r’bl. T’r’bl scrutinized them both in silence.

W’oo’woo fluttered beside me. He met my glance and fluffed, then turned his attention back to the dancers.

T’r’bl stood up tall and opened her wings. “It is decided then. Proven. K’eel has found us help and hope. She is strong. K’aat’t will stand down.” K’eel and K’aat’t, the buff Vrr’ak’l I gathered, bowed deeply, then turned and bowed toward the rest of the crowd. K’aat’t hopped off into the shadows. K’eel hopped toward me and W’oo’woo.

W’oo’woo met her part way. They buried their beaks in each other’s neck feathers, and embraced with their arms, fluttering their wings and cooing. They parted and K’eel approached. “May I join you Nate?”

“Sure.”

I scooted over and K’eel plopped into the depression beside me. W’oo’woo had disappeared. K’eel was breathing hard. She had some scratches on her face and a long gash on her left arm.

“You OK?” I said.

“I am fine,” she replied.

“What was that all about?”

A Vrr’ak’l approached. She bowed to K’eel.

“Thank you T’ai,” K’eel muttered. T’ai turned to me and bowed. “Nate,” she said, emphasizing the ‘t’ in my name just like the others had.

“Hi,” I said. I wasn’t sure what to say, and I didn’t want to butcher anyone’s name. T’ai seemed satisfied and moved on.

Other Vrr’ak’ls lined up, and greeted K’eel and me in the same fashion. The last in the line was W’oo’woo, with another tray of food. He placed it in front of K’eel.

“Thank you W’oo’woo,” she trilled. W’oo’woo cozied up beside K’eel and shut his eyes. K’eel ate hungrily.

There was activity off in the shadows beside the stage.

“What was that?” I asked of K’eel. “Is there going to be another?”

K’eel looked up at me. “K’aat’t defamed me. It is settled now.”

“Will there be more?”

Excited trills and fluttering cut me off. Five Vrr’ak’l hopped into the middle of the stage, paying their respects to T’r’bl, then to the rest of the crowd.

“This will be fun,” said K’eel. “Watch and enjoy, Nate.” She resumed her eating.

The Vrr’ak’l in the stage spread themselves out and waited. One fluttered her wings nervously. T’r’bl barked and they jumped up. Two took to the air while the other three remained on the ground.

They took turns jumping into the air, then landing in a flourish, looking as though some giant invisible hand was juggling them. With each flight and landing, they engaged in more complex acrobatics. They turned flips in the air. Sometimes they landed on their hands. They rolled and tumbled on the ground. I gaped in astonishment.

“Amazing,” I whispered.

“Yes,” said K’eel. “They are very good. Always a joy to watch.”

Read Chapter 9.

Go back to the beginning.